For nearly 40 years, summer has been synonymous with the Hollywood's favorite time of year: blockbuster season. Starting with Friday's The Avengers, the movie industry will keep the relentless barrage of popcorn flicks (and carefully chosen anti-popcorn flicks) going until September, when the studios abruptly transitions into awards-show prestige mode. The summer blockbuster season is like a game of high-stakes poker: a high-risk, high-reward opportunity to rake in hundreds of millions. And there's a new hand every week.

But the questions abound for fans. What's more annoying, 3D or threequels? Why are so many American superheroes played by British guys? How many films can Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum possibly star in? And most of all, how many of these movies are actually worth seeing?

I've pored over the summer release schedule, picking out the most promising new release for every week from now until August, and offered my take on what to see and what to skip. Here are the most promising-looking films for each week of the summer release schedule (and a backup choice, if the first option isn't your thing):

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